Stopper



Feb. 1.4, 1928. 1,658,917 H. J. BRAGDON STOPPER Filed April 23, 1925 "2SheetS-Sboot 1 NW!!! A Feb. 14

STOPPER Filed April 23. 1923 2 Sheets-51;, 2

jirbeliljir FEWW Min/66 Patented Feb. 14, 1928.

UNITED; -"PAJ ET NT,

HERBERT- J. BRAGDQ QF Cl W QQ IQI IN Q ASI I To CHICAGQ QSTOPBER or Immerse;coRronAfrm O I N IS- V scrorrnn;

Application filed s ines, 1323.; s i ino 633,845.

My invention relates to a new seal or closure designed morepartieularly' as a bottle closure but adapted for like use inthe sealingof any suitably formed orifice; and includes both theclosure orsealandthe method of applying the same. heretofore been in quite commonuse i a variety of stoppers consisting of a disk of paper which wheninserted in the bottle neck bends upon a cireular line or in an annularzone parallel to the periphery of the disk. In some of these previouslyused closures the bottle neck is provided with an annular groove, theneck; of the bottle ii'ninediately above the groove having a diameterless than the diameter of the disk andthe bending of the disk permittingit to be forced past the relatively constricted part of the bottleneckafter which its resiliency causes itto return toward its initialflat form and become seated in the groove. the previously used stoppersof this general type the disk is initially of considerably greaterdiameter than the bottle neck and by pressure upon the central part: ofthe'disk it isi'orced into the bottle neck and given an annular bendwhich causes it to assume the toru'rot a cup, the outer surtace of theside wall of which lies against the interior of the bottle neckiin thecompleted closure. Closures of this type arelnot capable of resistingany considerable pressure and they are designed principally as stoppersfor milk bottles, the only requirement-[being to exclude dirt duringthe, brief interval between the bottling and use of the milk. Inclosures of these types the only change or deforma tiou imposed upon thedisk'in the act of forming the seal isthe annular bending necessary tospring the disk into the groove in thebottle neckor to cause it toassume the its opposite edges and that resultiis notrattained; I

It is the'pur 'iose of myiinvention to insert a diskof paper or otheryieldable material in a bottle neck in such manner as to form aliquidand gas tightseal which may be so applied as to be capable ofresistinghigh' pressure for an indefinite period of time as There haveIn others of di st i nguished from merely providing a cover tor thetemporary exclusion of foreign: matter as iiit'he caseof milk bottleclosuresl accomplish this purpose by forci'ng thedisk into the inwardlyconverging bottle neck under conditions which cause the disk to retainits flat and unbent arm, the radially inward pressure ot the convergingwalls upon the peripheryof the disk having the effect (it upsetting orswaging inwardly the perii'iheral part of the disk andtherebysiniparting to it a thickened borderf section hen so insertedin abottle neck the disk exerts great pressure outwardly againstrtheinteriorsurface of the bottle neck; and as this pressure acts intheplane ofthevdisk, which lies normal to the axis of the hottle neck,the only limit to the pressure that may be set up betweenthe edge ofthedisk and the iuteriorof the bottle neck is" the re sistance of thematerial of the diski to compressi on and the strength of the bottle.Thfe high degree of pressure which may vbe so obtained between theedgeotthe disk and the interior of the bottle neck establishesa degree offriction, between the disk andbottle neck that iscapableof holding thedisk in plaee against any intcrnal pressure that can be withstood bythebottle; Theinward radial pressure upon the edgeot the disk necessarytosecure this result is ofso high a degree as to. displace'the materialof the disk and compress it beyond its initial condition, andaiinaterial part of my invention consists in the means which have originated for causing this displacement to take the formofaLflow or swagingofthe pee. ripheral border of the disk radially inward as distinguishedfrom bending the disk along an annularline. I i

In thedrawings forming part 0f this, application I have illustratedmeans which I have employed for applying the sealand several dilferentstages in the process of scaling a bottle. 7'

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectionalview. of a bottle neck with thesealing disk and toolor plunger used for applying the same shown inthree successive pjositions.- t

Figure 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Figure 1. v y i 'FigureB,is a view in elevation and plan of a tool or plunger whichlhave used ina iplying the seaLtheend part only of this tool being shown in Figure I.

Figure 4c is a longitudinal sectional. view of a bottle neck with a diskloosely resting therein, the plunger element being shown assembled withthe disk and designed to remain in the bottle as part of the closure.

Figure 5 shows the parts illustrated in Figure l after being forced toscaling position.

Figures 6 and 7 are similar respectively to Figures l and 5 but show inaddition an inclosing envelope and a wafer over the top of the stopper.

Figure 8 is a plan View of the plunger element forming part of thestructure shown in Figures 4: to 7.

. FigureQ shows the stopper in an inter mediate position while beingremoved from the bottle.

Figures 10 and 11 aredetail views of the edge ofthe disk before andafter insertion in a bottleneck.

Figure 12 is a view of the upper surface of a disk after insertion in abottle to sealing position.

. Figure 13 shows astopper of the form illustrated in Figure 1 but withan envelope added, this stopper to be. applied by the tool shown inFigure 3.

" 'My improved sealing means in its entirety includes the use of a flatdisk and a tool or plunger. formed to apply pressure to the diskadjacent its periphery. The plunger may take the form of a tool. eitherhand operated or forming part of a machine. or the plunger may form partof the stopper or seal, both plunger and disk remaining in the sealedbottle. My invention also includes means for removing the stopper fromasealed bottle. For the purpose of clearness of explanation I will firstdescribe my invention without reference to the means for removing theseal from sealing position.

In Figure 1 a. bottle neck of ordinary form with an inwardly convergingwall 1 is shown. The convergence of the wall of the bottle neck isexaggerated in this and other views to more clearly show the actionwhich takes place. Thesealiug disk 2 and applying tool or plunger 3 areshown in three successive positions exhibiting different stages in. theformation of the seal. The applying tool, shown separately in Figure 3.is there illustrated as a hand tool. In a bottling machine the toolwould. of course. form part of the machine and be mechani callyactuated. The manner in which the tool cooperates with the disk,however. and its operation in forming the seal are the same whether ittakes the form of a ban..- operated instrument or forms part of apower-operated machine and hence the hand operated tool herein shown anddescribed fully exhibits the principle of my invention. The tool asillustrated comprises a hollow I cylindrical member 4 whichmayconveniently consist of a section of metal tubin The end of thetubular tool is inclined or beveled as shown at 5, the bevel incliningback toward the bodyof the tube from the edge of the inner cylindricalsurface at an obtuse angle to the outer cylindrical surface, therebyproducing a circular acute-angled edge at the inner cylindrical surfaceat 6 which will first contact with any plane surface to which the toolis applied as appears in the first, or upper, position of the disk shownin Figure 1. The tube constituting the tool is also slottedlongitudinally from the end as shown at 8. At 7 I have shown a handle orbasemounted upon the tubular part of the tool. The projecting shoulder25 at the inner end of base 7 will extend over the edge of the bottleneck and act as a stop to limit theinward movement of the plunger in thebottle neck.

In its uppermost position as shown in Figure 1, the disk 2 rests looselyin the upper part of the bottle neck, no pressure yet having beenapplied to it, and the tool 3 is shown as just establishing contact withthe disk. As indicated. the first contact between the tool and disk isalong the circular edge 6 at the inside of the cylindrical wall of thetool. An annular open space 9 of triangular cross section is thus leftbetween the end of the tool and the peripheral portion of the uppersurface of the disk at the beginning of the pressure of the tool uponthe disk. By means of downward pressure upon the tool. the disk 2 isforced to the lowermost position shown in Figure 1, and during thisoperation the disk is reduced in diameter by the convergence of thebottle neck and assumes the cross sectional form shown in its lowermostposition. In this final sealing position the disk retains its perfectlyflat form, the only deformation of the disk being the displacement ofmaterial which causes the formation of the upwardly projecting annulusor flange 10.

My investigation of the action which takes place during the applicationof pressure to the disk has developed the fact that the deformation ofthe disk results from the periph-. eral portion of the disk being upsetor swaged i iwardly and that the disk is not simply bent upwardly alonga circular line or bent in any neg-rec at any point. Evidence of thisfact appears when before application to a bottle the edge of a disk iscolored differently from the upper and lower surfaces and the locat onof this colored band is observed after he disk has been forced to thesealing position. In Figure 10 I have indicated by the bracket 11 thecolored edge of the disk, and Figure 11 shows the same disk after beingforced to the lowermost po sition shown in Figure 1. As indicated. inFigure 11, the colored edge band 11 still lies upon the edge of the diskhaving been disweesflacedelpwwrdlr series e Pri s s? e oii diskfto seahmere-0n. brinebottl'en ek. 'A siinmqbendirig; of the ldisk along" ac'ii'cula r i'ne rear its periphery would, of course, causetheicoloredfbz nd to compressed "peripheral "section the thitfk'e'n} mg;projecting on. the E outer, el, "upper," side i ofjthe diskf In repmfipueese l;the disk isfun'der" great pressure zicti'n r' in the plane0f the bottleneck; v

VVhiIeenini estigation of the precise manner in 'whieh' thejine'teri al"iclisplacdfWhile thedji'sk isbeingifdree'd into th ehottle 'ne'ckresents some diflie lti'esQth'Q afc'tionas I new understand it issme'whatasfe11giws.-1 \Vhen effect isgrdownvardtoi'c zifetin'g 'oirthe''disk in Aline along the circular edge 6 10f theftooh This pressure isresisted by the inivirdly converging wall ofthe botfle neek againstwhich the "disk is initially seat-ed; 'ndhs' the" tool movesdownwardtheper'iphery of the disk is forced redially"inward. To some; extentthis "redial inward displacement of the inziteriatis probablyaccommodated by it colnpacting otthe ingiterial, but-toe greater extentis accommodated by the-flowing or sweging oi-"the, materiel transverselyofthe i plane of the disle All 01: this flo'iv or swag ingmisrin an iniierdand upward direction, the rbottonrof the :(hSk in the-completedelosure being perfectly flzit and Sli'lOOth, That the n'iatrizilmovesupwerdh uppears to be due to thenexisteuce, u llen-foreeis firstapplied, ot the 'annular spae flbetween the endotth'e tool and'the disk,this space at fordingitpzith of low resistance for thefiow of,thefimateriah Fmthernwre, the fric tionnl resistance of theji'ali of thebottle necl'r as the disk is forced downward would have u ,tendencv tocause the ed e aortion of v D v the disk: to flow 'up'ward relati-re"tothe central part. 'The inner edge 1210f the thickened borderoftheidiskis sh-arply defined and forms an annular outwardly projectingshoulder, fronr ivhich the surfaeefl of "t'he thick ned be des se ti n,in l eeei rar ly v totheedgeof-thedisk'f thesharp edgeh 'totheentiredrezi between V;

thefedgfe and the per); phery ,of the disk,

The longitudinal slots 8 in the tool permit itto ii'c'con'imodate(itselfto the converging diameter of the bottl neck; The normal di;

eineteu of the tool is es" great asthat ofthe larg j part'of the,bottleneck-2.,andljas the tool nioves inwgl-l ftljthe,pjzfongsflfi-betwen theislots bend toward "the jcenter thus 'diminishing the diameter of that pei't of the tube and by;yirtueofftheresilieneygfof the metal 'atQZdl times p eservmg intinmqmh; tactb'etween" the lower end of; the tube". and the \rrill ofvthe bottleneck. fVViththis unnular o tool n pressure I is applied; o directly. to

thejce'ntrul part of the'disklahd noneisnec: v

essery the central par-tier the disk in side of the edge,6fpreserivesits perfectlyjflatform under the, procedurefahove,desribedi trnd inakingthe tool inltheitorm offa hollowlloir gitudirigilly slottedflcylinderv affords} conv venientln'ijeaiis as abov I dscribed for cenaibli'ng' the .enid rjof theftoolto fida1Jtitse1ftothevaryiligl dieineter' of the bottle neck, Ifthe' tool or plunger insteadof tekingfrthecforin o fpanunnulusfi e" c]on'str11eted with afielose'aemitt r-metre its axisinside of the. angle 181E. edge (tithepressurebetween the tool :1 nd disk u'fbuld istill be" exerted 1 princi'pel 1y or, it not in practical efleetwholly along theue dg'e 6; and thebevel'Ioiitsidefof said edge; Itis, of,course; essential that the edge6'he not so far. Ireinoyed from .the periphery of the diskfas to permitthe disk to bend The; most advantageous distance of the edge 6 froin thepe'ri phery ot the .disk will depend principally upon I the thicknessand diameter of thepdisk land the meterial'of which it is madl v i havefound that withthe disks I have used the ,he'st; results are .ohta iied, hy' tormmg the bevel" at the end the tool git fin anglelof about tende grees to a plane normal to the axis of the tube. Material departurefrom the jideal an'gie brings about inferior resultsythe seals soobtained not heing cu- Ii1 th'efmiddle "p o'sit'on o f the diskQshoWnform though a closure sufhcient for some purposes may be so obtained. Ihave used disks made of a variety of paper and fibrous compositiom'andhave, obtained good results with the material known as press board.

In gures f and 5 T have shown a modilied form of the closure. Tn'thismodification the bevel is formed upon an element which forms part of theclosure. The closure comprises a disk 18, similar to the disk 2 abovedescribed, but in this form a ring orannulus let is assembled with thedisk and forms part of the stopper. This ring 14: is beveled on itslower edge at 17, the bevel being similar to that formed upon the toolillustrated in Figures 1 to 3 above described. The ring l-it ispreferably, though not for all purposes necessarily, made of a materialmore rigid than the disk, and it is preferably provided with a diagonaljoint 18 (Figure 8) to permit contraction of the diameter of the ring asit moves inward in the converging bottle neck. The ring may convenientlybe made from a straight strip of material of proper cross section cut toproper length and bent to circular form. The ring may be attached to thedisk by an adhesive applied along the inner edge of the ring or may beotherwise assembled with the disk in such manner as to permit itto breakloose therefrom to accommodate the relative movement of the ringand diskwhen being forced into position in a bottle neck. It is not necessary,however, except for convenience that the ring and disk be securedtogether. The stopper may be forced from the position shown in Figure 4ito that shown in Figure 5 by means of a mallet, the parts being soproportioned that when the upper edge of the ring is hammered down aboutflush with the upper edge of the bottle neck the disk will have beenmoved to scaling position. During this inward movement the beveled ringacts upon the disk precisely as above described in connection with theaction of the tool shown in Figures 1 to 3, and the completed closureconsists of the disk 13 and the ring 14: as shown in their lowermostposition in Figure 5.

The disk 18 and ring 1a" shown in Figures 6 and 7 are similar to thecorresponding parts shown in Figures d and 5, but the structure shown inFigures 6 and embodies in addition an envelope 20, preferably of toughpaper, covered on the upper side or on both sides with metal foil ifdesired. The envelope is preferably made of suiiicient size to bepressed over the edge and a short distance down upon the outside of thebottle neck after the stopper is forced to sealing position asindicatedat 20 in Figure 7, and a wafer 21 secured around its edge totheother parts of thestopper may be used to give the stopper a flush topand to bear any desired printed matter. The

space inside of the annulus 14 and between the disk and wafer may, ifdesired, be filled with some yielding material such as a loosely woundroll of soft paper in order to better support the wafer. The differentelements of the stopper or part of them may be assembled and securedtogether prior to application to a bottle or they may be assembled asused. In Figure 13 I have shown a disk 2 corresponding tothe disk 2shown in Figure 1 but with an envelope 2O assembled therewith. Thestopper shown in Figure 13 may be applied by means of the tool shown inFigure 3, or by means of the ring 14 shown in Figures 6 and 7. Theenvelope with either form of stopper performs an important function inproviding means for asy removal of the stopper from the bottle. Insealing position the disk is seated normal to the axis of the bottleneck and under high pressure against the wall thereof. So long as thedisk remains in this position with the pressure from opposite sidesacting in direct line through the body of the disk it will resist greatpressure within the bottle and will oppose great resistance to an effortto pull it out for the purpose ofopening the bottle. It is comparativelyeasy, however, to dislodge the disk from sealing position by applyingforce to it at one side only, thereby tilting the disk, from itsposition normal to the axis of the bottle neck, in which position theopposing pressures are no longer in line and are relieved by theinclined position of the disk. Removal of the stopper is thereforeeasily accomplished by grasping the edge of the envelope at one side asindicated'at 22 in Figure 9, in which view a stopper of the type shownin Figure 1 is illustrated, i. e. a stopper applied by means of the toolshown in Figure 3. By means of an upward pull at 22 the disk is easilytilted to the inclined position in.- dicated, whereupon it is easilyremoved. The stopper shown in Figure 7 may be removed by the sameprocedure, the ring or annulus 1 f yielding to permit the tiltingmovement. An upward pull upon opposite edges of the envelopesimultaneously has no tendency to tilt the disk and the resistance is sogreat as to render it impractical to open a tightly sealed bottle inthat way.

In Figure 12 T have shown the appearance of a disk after having beenforced to sealing position by the tool shown in Figure 3. The movementof the material inward radially from the edge of the oisk causes anappearance of crimping, most noticeable,

capable of resisting higher pressures than those to which bottles aresubjected inpractice. The stopper, moreover, is equally well adapted foruse-with substances not under,

pressure as the pressure resisting capacity of the stopper is obtainedwithout the introduction of any element of cost or mechanical structurenot equally applicable and efiicient in a stopper designed for generaluse For some purposes, such as the bottling of carbonated water, it isnot required that stoppers be so constructed that they may be applied,after the bottle has been opened, for the purpose of re-sealing it, butfor other purposes it is generally necessary that a stopper be capableof repeated use with efii'ciency for the purpose of resealing the bottleas the contents are gradually used. My improved stopper is capable ofsuch repeated use and forms an eflicient re-seal, it being necessarysimply to press downward upon the disk shown in Figure 9 or upon theupper edge of the annulus shown in Figure 7 to restore the stopper tosealing positioin "What I claim is:

1. A closure for a substantially circular orifice having an inwardlyconverging Wall, said closure comprising a disk having a substantiallyfiat inner surface, the outer surface of said disk having a flat centralportion surrounded by an outwardly projecting of said disk and separatedtherefrom by an upwardly projecting shoulder, the pressure between theedge of said disk and the Wall of said orifice being sufiicient to swageradially the material of a disk initially having parallel flat faces.

3. A closure for a substantially circular orifice comprising adiskextending across said orifice, the inner sideand the central part ofthe outer side of said disk being parallel plane surfaces substantiallynormal to the axis of said orifice, said disk having an annular bordersection of greater thickness than its central part and lying between theedge of the disk and an outwardly projecting annular shoulder on theouterside thereof, the outer surface of said thickened border sectioninclining outwardly from said shoulder to the edgcof said disk.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 20th day of April,A. D., 1923.

HERBERT J. BRAGDON.

and having a peripheral zone thicker than the central part

